


The Name of the Doctor and the return of his wife

by officiallyriversong



Series: The Doctor and his Wife [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode Fix-it: s07e13 The Name Of The Doctor, F/M, Gen, Library Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-27
Updated: 2014-04-22
Packaged: 2018-01-17 04:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1374382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/officiallyriversong/pseuds/officiallyriversong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor is asked to go to Trenzalore to to save his friends. With the help of Clara and... River?! Will he be able to save them, and will he be able to keep his wife? But most of all will he be able to keep his name hidden from his enemies?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An impossible tea party

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, so I know it's been a really long time since "The Name of the Doctor" was aired, but I've had this idea kicking around in my head. I hope you enjoy and if not, I hope you tell me what I could do to make it better. With that said: I own nothing related to Doctor Who, which is all owned by the BBC. Also, I kept all the original dialogue from the episode, using www.planetclaire.org which had the script. Read on!

River could feel the familiar feeling of a conference call starting.

“Madame Vastra and Jenny must be having another little dream tea party…” she thought to herself as she let her conscious be pulled forward. “A bit of flair then!” she thought mischievously, letting herself pop in, in a flash of smoke.

The attendants at the table stared in slight awe at the enigmatic woman.

“Madame Vastra!” she said with a small grin.

Vastra nodded her head at the woman. “Professor. Help yourself to some tea.”

River’s smile grew, “Why thank you.” She said as a champagne bucket materialized next to her. Jenny gaped at her. “How did you do that?!” she asked with shock coloring her voice.

“Disgracefully…” River answered with a soft purr in her voice. She was suddenly aware of the young woman at her left and looked at her in surprise.

Vastra was quick to make with the introductions. “Ah, perhaps you two haven’t met. This is the Doctor’s companion. That is, his current travelling assistant.” Vastra said delicately.

Clara frowned. “Assistant?” she said quietly.

Strax looked at Vastra. “Have you gone a darker green?” he asked the green woman.

Ignoring his question, she gestured towards Clara. “Clara Oswald.” She said to River.

The professor dipped her head slightly in greeting. “Professor River Song. He might have mentioned me?” she asked quietly.

Clara nodded a bit. “Oh yeah. Yeah. Of course he has. Professor Song. Sorry, it’s just that I never realized you were a woman.” She said with a careless shrug.

River’s face was quick to hide the fury that escaped her carefully drawn on mask.

“Well neither did I.” Strax said, oblivious to the tension.

Clara took a sip of her tea and stared at the striking woman, wondering why the Doctor had been so careful in the way he’d mentioned her.

Vastra cleared her throat, catching the attention of both the women. “Clarence DeMarco. Murderer. Under sentence of death. He offered us this in exchange for his life.” She said seriously.

River leaned forward, glass of champagne in hand and a thoughtful look on her face.

Clara too, leaned towards the green woman and held her tea cup tightly between her hands, looking attentive.

“Space-time coordinates.” River said reading them quickly.

Vastra nodded. “This, Mr. DeMarco claims,it is the location of the Doctor’s greatest secret.”

 

Clara stared in confusion, “Which is?” She asked.

Jenny shook her head, “We don’t know, it’s a secret.”

Vastra looked at the pretty brunette. “The Doctor does not discuss his secrets with anyone, my dear. If you’re still entertaining the idea that you’re an exception to this rule, ask yourself one question. What is his name?” Vastra said through a tight mouth.

Clara opened her mouth and quickly closed it, realizing that the woman had her.

“Well I know it.” River said offhandedly.

Clara glanced at her in disbelief. “What, you know his name? He told you?”

River gave shrugged delicately. “I made him.” She said fighting back a smile.

Clara narrowed her eyes at the older, blonde woman. “How?” she demanded.

River glanced up and held her gaze, finally letting a naughty grin slip through. “It took a while.” She implied mischievously.

Clara gasped quietly and leaned closer to the woman. “So… So, you’re a friend of his then?” she asked dubiously.

River again dipped her head, this time in sorrow. “A little more than a friend, a long time ago.” She answered softly.

Clara gaped at her in surprise.

 

Vastra frowned at the professor. “He still never contacted you?”

River screwed her eyes shut and shook her head before letting out a huff. “He doesn’t like endings.” She said tightly.

Sensing the pity that was coming off of the other participants of the party, River quickly moved the focus back to the space-time coordinates.

“So what else did this DeMarco tell you? He didn’t just buy his life with some coordinates. How did he prove their value?” she asked in a businesslike manner.

Vastra blinked quickly and leaned towards her. “One word.” She said flatly.

River frowned slightly. “What word?” She asked, hands gripping the table.

“A word I’ve heard in connection with the Doctor before,” Vastra paused and licked her lips. “Trenzalore.” She finished.

River’s eyes widened in realization. “No, that can’t be.” She thought to herself.

She quickly scanned the coordinates again and cursed under her breathe. “You misunderstood.” River said gravely.

 

Vastra leaned towards River, and Jenny shuddered.

Jenny frowned, closing her eyes. “Ma’am, sorry. I just realized I forgot to lock the door.” She said quietly.

Vastra waved her off a bit. “It doesn’t matter, Jenny. What misunderstanding? Tell me.” She said to River quickly.

Jenny shook her head and pulled at her wife’s arm. “No, ma’am please! I should have locked up before we went into the trance.” She said, her words coming out rushed and desperate.

Vastra shook her hand off. “Jenny it doesn’t matter!” she said turning to her wife who now looked much paler than she had not five minutes ago.

“Someone’s broken in. Someone’s with us. I can hear them.” She said with her eyes glazed over.

Vastra’s frown deepened as she now took her wife’s hand. “Jenny, are you alright?” she asked loudly.

Jenny shook her head sadly. “Sorry, ma’am, so sorry. So sorry, so sorry. I think I’ve been murdered.” She said faintly.

Vastra stood quickly, “Jenny?!” she shouted. Clara looked at the disgruntled woman. “What’s happened to her?” she said worriedly.

Jenny’s body had begun to disappear.

“Jenny can you hear me?” Vastra asked hysterically.

“Speak to us, boy!” Strax shouted.

 

River knew in an instant what was happening.

 

“You’re under attack. You must wake up now. Just wake up! Do it!” she said hurriedly as she slapped the green lizard awake.

She picked up her glass of champagne and threw it at Strax’s face. “You too, Strax. Wake up now!” she said as he disappeared.

River moved closer to the young woman beside her as they were surrounded by Whisper Men.

“Tell the Doctor. Tell the Doctor. Tell the Doctor.” They hissed.

Clara unconsciously moved closer to River. “T-tell him what?” Clara asked scared.

“His friends are lost forevermore. Unless he goes to Trenzalore.” They hissed disappearing in thin air.

“No, you can’t say that. He can’t go there. You know he can’t. The Doctor can never go to Trenzalore!” River said angrily.

 Whirling towards Clara quickly. “Clara, listen you have to wake up! Do it! Come on! Wake up…” she said as she was pushed by a strong gust of wind onto the brunette.

 

The world quickly changed colors before River’s eyes, the last thing she saw before unconsciousness took hold of her was Charlotte’s face grinning and waving goodbye to her.


	2. Penny in the air... The Penny drops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! I really hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and I apologize in advance for how long these chapters seem. I don't do it on purpose, I swear! Here's the second chapter, and I hope you enjoy it!

Clara groaned softly, raising her head slowly as she glanced around her room.

She noticed that it was darker now; she must have been out for hours. “I wonder where the children have gone off to…” she wondered.

She spotted a strand of a golden blonde curl from under her bed.

She ducked down and gasped, moving back as quickly as she could, bringing her small hand to cover her mouth. River Song was hidden under her bed. Professor River Song, the Doctor’s… friend… was under her bed, unconscious. She stood quickly, moving to the door and saw the Doctor at the base of the stairs, feeling around blindly.

 

“Look, I’m pretty sure you have to tell me if I’m getting warm. I’m pretty sure that’s in the rules.” The Doctor said, groping about.

 

Clara smirked fondly at her Doctor. She swallowed hard as she thought of the enigmatic woman hidden under her bed and wondered once more who this woman was to the Doctor. She was obviously someone important, if he’d shared his name with her. Maybe an ex-girlfriend? She smiled gleefully at the thought.

“Doctor?” Clara finally voiced her presence.

The Doctor turned towards her voice and smiled hugely. “Ha! Clara! How are you? Don’t worry. Everything is under control.” He said moving his hands about.

She tilted her head confused watching him. “What are you doing?” she asked from the stairs.

“Oh! Um, Mr. Maitland went next door so I said I’d look after the kids. They wanted to go to the cinema, but I said no, I said no, not until you wake up. I was very firm.” He said with a serious nod.

She rolled her eyes and began to untie the blindfold. “At which point they suggested Blind Man’s Bluff.” She said pointedly.

The Doctor nodded excited, “Yes. Where are they?” he asked.

Clara sighed indulgently, “At the cinema.”

The Doctor’s mouth floundered for a bit. “The little… Daleks!” he said with an indignant huff.

 

* * *

 

 

She told him all about the tea party, and all that had happened.

Omitting the part where River Song somehow ended up in her room though, the Doctor sat in the chair silent.

As she poured tea into two mugs, she quickly walked back into the living room as she watched the Doctor run a hand over his face tiredly. “Doctor…” she said trailing off.

He looked up at her from beneath his fringe. “Yes?” he asked.

“Who was she? The lady with the funny name and the space hair?”

He swallowed and closed his eyes. “An old… friend… of mine.” He said voice thick.

Clara furrowed her eyebrows. “What, like an ex?” she asked a bit hopefully.

He stiffened and nodded a bit. “Yes, an ex. River asked Vastra for the exact words. What were they?” he said trying to change the topic.

Clara frowned but nodded. “They were, “The Doctor has a secret he will take to the grave. It is discovered.” Doctor?” she said shaking him out of his thoughts.

“Sorry. And it was Trenzalore? It was definitely Trenzalore?” he pleaded quietly.

She nodded. “Yeah…” she said regretfully.

“Oh damn…” he sighed, wiping at the tears on his face.

 

A loud crash was heard from Clara’s room  interrupting the silence, and the Doctor scurried up the stairs, sonic in hand.

 

The Doctor’s eyebrow-less forehead furrowed as he heard Gallifreyan swearing coming from Clara’s room.

The voice, it haunted him.

It was _her_ voice.

His _River Song_.

His _Melody Pond_.

His _TARDISs’ child_.

His _wife_.

 

He pushed the door open and gasped loudly. “R-River?” He asked hesitantly.

The blonde haired woman whirled around and faced him. “Doctor...? Heard a noise did you? Probably going to pretend that you can’t see me again, yeah?” She said mostly to herself.

The Doctor could do nothing but gape at her, and Clara stood at the doorway watching.

“Right then, let’s see…” River leaned into the window and looked out across the landscape.

“Earth. Twenty-first century. I see the TARDIS, well actually I can feel you dear.” She said quietly to the blue box.

Before she had a chance of saying anything else, she was pushed against the window glass.

“Who are you? And why the hell are you in this body?” the Doctor growled at her.

“Ah, so you can see me.” She said with an even tone. The Doctor’s wife had never been afraid of his anger.

She was every bit a match and equal to the Oncoming Storm.

Suddenly the Doctor gasped. He could see it in her eyes. This wasn't a trick of the lights. This wasn't someone setting a trap for him. This was River Song. The woman who married him. He let go of her arms quickly and took off running towards the TARDIS.

 

River sighed and grabbed Clara’s hand. “Come along, Miss. Oswald. We need to stop him before he does something incredibly stupid.” She said tiredly.

Clara tripped along, until they stood in front of the TARDIS. “You go on in. Calm him down a bit. I've got to talk to the TARDIS.” River said, dismissing her with a nod.

Clara scurried inside to find the Doctor beneath the console. “Doctor?” Clara called as she ran down the stairs. She could see that he was hunched over and by the shake of his shoulders that he was crying.

He stood up straight and turned to her.

“Well?” She asked, with her hands on her small hips.

“Trenzalore. I've heard the name of course. Dorium mentioned it. A few others. Always suspected what it was, never wanted to find out myself. River would know though. River always knew.” He finished softly.

“Of course I know. It’s my job to know.” River’s voice said as she strolled down the stairs.

She walked around the Doctor to touch the wires and felt the low hum of the TARDIS as she was welcomed back.

“How? How are you even here?” the Doctor asked untrusting of her.

River turned with her head down, not able to meet his gaze. “I… I have no idea. But this is clearly something you didn't wanted. I think I’ll just go…” she said as she rushed past the Doctor.

The TARDIS let out a whine of disapproval.

“Oh no, you don’t!” He snapped as he grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. “You don’t get to die, come back to life and then just go running out of my life again.” He said harshly.

River struggled trying to get her wrist free. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way. You left me! You. Left. Me.” She snapped at him in anguish.

His anger was quickly dissipated as he stared down at the struggling woman. “River… Oh River, I am so sorry…” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her closer and nuzzled his face into her soft curls. “I’ve been an idiot… Please River, I’m sorry.” He whispered in Gallifreyan.

River stopped fighting and sagged against him. “You’re still an idiot…” she said with a small sniff.

He threw his head back and laughed, bopping her nose and with a huge smile he nodded. “Right, but an idiot with a very cool bowtie.” He said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes indulgently and she smiled. “Still a child then.” She said with amusement.

Clara had stood watching the whole scene play out before her with a frown on her face. “Excuse me, but we do have some important matters that we need to discuss.” She snapped at the two.

The Doctor clapped his hands together and pointed at Clara. “Right you are, Clara. Let’s see… I’m linking you in to the TARDIS telepathic circuit. Won’t hurt a bit.” He said, stabbing his young companion in the hand.

“Ow!” she yelped, pulling her hand away from him quickly.

The Doctor gave a shrug. “I lied.” He said, turning on his heels to start up the stairs.

River rolled her eyes and grabbed Clara’s hand gently, smoothing over the small cut on her palm. “It will heal in a bit. Nanogenes are pretty quick about it.” She said kindly.

Clara nodded curtly at the woman and turned to follow the Doctor.

 

* * *

 

 

The three of them stood around the console, as the Doctor read the screen.

“Okay. What is Trenzalore? Is that your big secret?” Clara pried a bit.

“No.” The Doctor answered, not looking up.

She waited for him to answer for a moment. “Okay, what then?” She asked with an annoyed huff.

The Doctor stood silent and River turned to the young woman. “When you are a time traveler there is one place you must never go. One place in all of space and time you must never, ever find yourself.” She explained to the girl.

Clara tilted her head slightly. “Where?” she asked with a bit of confusion.

“You didn't listen, did you? You lot never do! That’s the problem. “The Doctor has a secret he will take to the grave. It is discovered.” He wasn’t talking about my secret. No, no, no, that’s not what’s been found. He was talking about my grave. Trenzalore is where I’m buried.” He snapped at the petite brunette.

River glared at the Doctor.

He bit his lip and shrugged apologetically at his wife for being rude to his companion.

 

River stood silent at the console, letting her hands flow over the controls. She only partially listened to her husband as she fixed and tweaked the controls.

“How can you have a grave?” Clara asked with true confusion.

River smiled a bit, liking the curiosity of this companion.

“Because we all do, somewhere out there in the future, waiting for us. The trouble with time travel, you can actually end up visiting.” Her husband explained to the young woman.

“But you’re not going to. You just said it was one place you must never go.” Clara said with worry in her voice.

The Doctor shook his head and swallowed. “I have to save Vastra and Strax. Jenny too if it’s still possible. They cared for me during the dark times… Never questioned me, never judged me. They were just… kind. I owe them. I have a duty.” He said in an almost pleading voice, to River.

She nodded silently up at him, in approval. She knew that he had to do this, and she was going to help save the people that saved him. Clara watched the exchange in confusion and she opened her mouth to ask but decided that they could talk about it another time.

“I’m going with you.” River’s voice said.

Clara noticed the dark look that passed over the Doctor’s features before they disappeared. He gave a great sigh and ran a hand over his face, turning to look at Clara.

“No point in telling you this is too dangerous?” he asked with a bit of hope.

She quickly shook her head. “None at all. How can we save them?” she asked with a hand on his arm.

He gave her a weak smile. “Apparently by breaking into my own tomb…” he said with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well there it is, I hope you enjoyed this. I'm not really sure how jealous I want to make Clara just yet. She's a brilliant character and I want that to show. But I know that she was a bit jealous and maybe... Oh I don't know... Any ideas?


	3. Love holds true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's the third chapter! I've been updating fairly quick because I generally have the next chapters done, but please don't expect it all the time! I hope you enjoy!

The TARDIS gave a lurch and the three people inside shook about.

River frowned, frantically reading the scanners.

“What’s that?” Clara asked in a soft voice.

The Doctor read over River’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around her without thinking. “She’s just figured out where we’re going, she’s against it! I’m about to cross my own time line in the biggest way possible. The TARDIS doesn’t like it.” He murmured.

River moved away from him, fixing buttons and moving levers easily.

 

“What is she doing?” Clara whispered to the Doctor, as he made his way over to her.

“Flying the TARDIS?” He asked as if it should have been common knowledge.

She rolled her eyes and huffed. “Of course the stupid cow likes her.” She said irritated.

“I should hope so. The TARDIS and I have a very special bond. I'm her daughter.” River’s voice floated down to her.

Clara had the decency to blush and look away. “Now what?” she said quickly changing subjects as the TARDIS gave another shudder.

“She doesn’t want to land. She’s shut down!” River said briskly.

“So we’re not there?” Clara asked confused.

The Doctor shook his head. “We must be close.” He said rushing to the doors and flinging them open.

 

* * *

 

 

They stared out at the molten red planet. It looked dark and angry. The Doctor let out a small sigh and his shoulders drooped. Clara rubbed his shoulders and back, enjoying the intimacy of the contact.

“Okay, so that’s where I end up. Always thought maybe I’d retire. Take up watercolors or beekeeping or something. Apparently not.” He said with a bit of mirth.

They heard River’s soft chuckle and turned to look at her, Clara’s hands still at his shoulders. If River thought anything of it, she gave nothing away, except a minuscule raise of her eyebrow.

“Always knew you wanted a quiet retirement.” She said with a fondness in her voice.

The Doctor gave her a small smile. “Funny thing is, everyone assumes I want to go out with a bang.” He answered.

“Good thing I’m not everyone…” River said with a wistful shrug.

Clara watched the Doctor as he stared up at River with… wondering adoration? Clara felt a knife twist in her heart as she saw the look he normally reserved for her given to this… this woman.

Clara cleared her throat, breaking their heated concentration on one another. “So, how do we get down there? Jump?” she asked jokingly.

The Doctor gave Clara a heart-melting smile and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. “Don’t be silly. We fall.” He looked at River who nodded and pressed the anti-grav button, sending them crashing into the ground.

 

With a grunt the Doctor helped his companion up and quickly went in search of his wife.

“Are you okay?” he asked inspecting River carefully.

She waved him off with a smile. “I’m perfectly fine. Stop fussing, and let’s find your friends. I’ve a great deal to thank them for.” River said straightening up.

He smiled gently at her and grabbed her hand by habit, and River shot him a smile and pulled her hand away.

“It would be beneficial for us to split up. You and Clara go that way, and I’ll go this way.” She said nodding to a darker trail.

The Doctor’s face twisted in pain as he shook his head. “Please… Please don’t do this…” he whispered.

She stood up on her toes and gave him a quick hug. “I’ll be safe. I have my guns, my sonic, and the TARDIS in my head. I’ll be okay.” She said with conviction.

He sighed and nodded and watched as she loped gracefully down her trail.

Clara stood silent next to him, picking up that he was in no mood to talk about what had just happened.

She reached out and laced her fingers through his, silently marveling at the feel of how nearly perfect they fit together. “You okay? Visiting your own grave, anyone would be scared.” She said softly.

The Doctor swallowed quickly. “It’s more than that. I’m a time traveler. I’ve probably travelled more than anyone else.” He said quietly.

Clara tilted her head, in a way she knew most men found irresistible. “Meaning?” she asked as she moved closer to him.

“Meaning… my grave is potentially the most dangerous place in the universe. Shall we?” he asked grudgingly. He led Clara with his arm down the dimly lit trail.

“Gravestones are a bit basic.” Clara observed.

“It’s a battlefield graveyard. My final battle.” He said in explanation.

“Why are some of them bigger?” she asked as her hand drifted over one.

“They’re soldiers. Bigger the gravestone, higher the rank.” He said with tightness in his voice as his pointed at the top of the hill.

Clara gave a sharp gasp. “It’s a hell of a monument.” She murmured.

The Doctor’s fist balled up tight. “It’s the TARDIS.” He said with a small growl.

“I can see that.” Clara said patiently.

“No. When a TARDIS is dying, sometimes the dimension dams start breaking down. They used to call it a size leak. All the bigger-on-the-inside starts leaking to the outside. It grows. When I say that’s the TARDIS, I don’t mean it looks like the TARDIS, I mean it actually is the TARDIS. My TARDIS from the future. What else would they bury me in?” he said as he walked towards it.

Clara felt a small pang guilt as she watched the distressed Time Lord walk towards the TARDIS. They began to pass bigger and bigger gravestones.

 

 

 _“Clara. Don’t speak. Don’t say my name. He can’t hear me, only you can. We’re mentally linked. It’s the conference call. I kept the line open.”_ River’s voiced washed through her mind.

 

Clara had stopped walking so suddenly that the Doctor turned. “Who are you talking to? We need to get…” he paused and a look of total heartbreak colored his face. “River…” he said pained.

She turned her head to see a gravestone with the words River Song etched into it. “That can't be right.” She said with confusion.

The Doctor shook his head. “No, it can’t.” he whispered as his fingers traced lovingly over the words.

 Clara watched him carefully, deciding on what to say. “She’s not dead.” She pointed out in confusion.

The Doctor closed his eyes as she looked at him. “Oh she’s dead, I’m afraid. She’s been dead for a very long time. Or… at least she was…” he said mostly to himself.

 

 _“Yeah, probably should have mentioned that. Never the right time.”_ River’s voice said in mild amusement.

 

Clara’s face frowned a bit. “But I met her!” she said in exasperation.

The Doctor gave her a shrug.

“Long story. But her grave can’t be here.” He whispered sadly.

They heard footsteps crunching towards them.

 

“This man must fall as all men must. The fate of all is always dust.” The Whisper Men said hauntingly.

 

 _“If it isn’t my gravestone then what is it?”_ River’s voice said hurriedly.

 

“What do you think that gravestone really is?” Clara popped off to the Doctor.

He gave her a look of surprise. “The gravestone?”

 

 

River’s voice hummed through her again. _“Maybe it’s a false grave.”_ She suggested.

 

Clara looked the Doctor in the eye. “Maybe it’s a false grave.” She said with a bit of conviction.

The Doctor still stared and then nodded a bit. “Yep, maybe.”

 

River’s voice was a bit harder now. _“Maybe it’s a secret entrance to the tomb.”_ She suggested hurriedly.

 

Clara grinned a bit. “Maybe it’s a secret entrance to the tomb!” she exclaimed.

The Doctor looked momentarily shocked and then grinned at his companion. “Yes, of course! Makes sense. I’d never bury my wife out here!” he said gleefully.

Clara gasped as she felt the words punch her in her stomach. “Your what?!” she demanded as the Doctor pushed her into the dark alcove of the tomb.

 

“The man who lies will lie no more. When this man lies, in Trenzalore.” They heard ominous voices above them.

 

Clara pulled around to look at the Doctor’s face with a scowl. “Where are we?” she asked.

“Catacombs.” He said with a shrug as he walked forward.

“I hate catacombs. So how come I met your dead _wife_?” she demanded again.

He was too busy sonicing their surrounding areas to see that his young companion was completely vexed. “Oh well, you know how it is when you lose someone close to you. I sort of made a backup. But she’s not dead anymore. Which is kind of weird, but very… cool.” He said with a bit of a smile.

Clara opened her mouth but River’s smooth voice gave her pause.

 

 _“I died saving him. In return he saved me to a database in the biggest library in the universe. Left me like a book on a shelf. Didn’t even say goodbye. He doesn’t like endings.”_ River’s heartbroken voice whispered in her mind.

 

Against her better judgment, Clara’s heart clenched for the poor, heartbroken woman.


	4. A moments change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter! I've had a very busy past few weeks. I'm almost done with the next chapter, so I'll post that soon!

River felt it before they landed on Trenzalore. Her timeline was being rewritten, but even this late into their relationship, River knew that she had to hide the damage and hurt. It felt like her life was being pulled apart and ripped into shreds. It was almost too painful to breathe. She caressed the console and began to drive her to their destination. She knew it would be a hard thing to tell her husband, but she knew better than to admit how bad it hurt.

“What is she doing?” she heard his newest companion whisper.

She closed her eyes and sighed, Clara Oswald was very pretty and incredibly sharp.

The TARDIS gave her an annoyed groan and in her own way told her that she didn’t like the new stray.

“Of course the old cow likes her.” Clara’s voice said sharply.

River could feel the anger course through the TARDIS. “I should hope so. The TARDIS and I have a very special bond. I'm her daughter.” She said to placate the touchy machine.

She moved quickly around the console, the TARDIS giving a great shake.

“What is it?” she asked her surrogate mother in their telepathic link. The only answer was a distressed feeling that washed over her.

Suddenly, the Doctor wrapped his arms around her nipped in waist, almost as if he didn't realize it. She eased herself away, sensing Clara’s distress at the Doctor’s overly touchy display of affection. The Doctor and his companion continued talking about his death.

“Okay, so that’s where I end up. Always thought maybe I’d retire. Take up watercolors or beekeeping or something. Apparently not.” the Doctor said with a sigh.

In answer River and the Doctor joked and flirted a bit, much to Clara’s chagrin. The TARDIS gave another shudder and the Doctor realized quickly why. When Clara suggested they jump, River knew they were going to have to fall. At the nod of her husband’s head, she turned the anti-grav button off.

 

She quickly stood, brushing the dirt from her long skirts, fighting back a wave of nausea.

“Are you okay?” the Doctor asked as he left his companion’s side.

His eyes raked over her curvaceous form gently.

“I’m perfectly fine. Stop fussing, and let’s find your friends. I’ve a great deal to thank them for.” She answered.

The Doctor’s warm hand quickly enveloped her own, finger’s entwining perfectly. Again, she could feel Clara’s unease at the intimacy of the moment and quietly slipped her hand out.

“It would be beneficial for us to split up. You and Clara go that way, and I’ll go this way.” She said, feeling a strong pull from the TARDIS to head down the darker path alone.She could see the distress that overcame her husband’s lanky form when she suggested that. 

“Please… Please don’t do this…” he whispered worriedly.

She gave him the warmest hug she could manage “I’ll be safe. I have my guns, my sonic, and the TARDIS in my head. I’ll be okay.” She said with more bravery than she thought she could muster.

The Doctor looked resigned at the idea and merely nodded and she felt his gaze follow her through the trees.

 

* * *

 

 

River paused and clutched at her stomach, taking a deep, shuddering breathe. “This way, my Water. Follow me!” the TARDIS whispered in her heard, showing a golden thread for her child to follow. River followed as gracefully as one could when one’s life was being completely rewritten.

She sucked in a breath at the huge TARDIS that stood before her. “Oh my dear… What have they done to you?” she whispered as she stroked the greying panel gently.

The door swung open for her and she stepped very carefully inside. She glanced around and rolled her eyes in a fond manner.

“Oh he is such a drama queen…” she said with mild amusement. 

Suddenly, the TARDIS appeared in her head. “My dearest Water, come, come! You need to send a message to the stray.” The TARDIS said with a bit of a huff.

River smiled. “Come now, old girl. What shall I say to our Miss. Clara Oswald?” River asked the TARDIS.

Quickly doing as she was told, River finished speaking with Clara, she muted their mental link.

She began to explore the old and forgotten TARDIS as she waited to be told again what to do.

Never mind that her husband was outside.

Never mind that they were in danger.

She strolled through the halls, hands gliding over the cracking, peeling walls.

She was home again.

 

“What is my purpose here? Have I been called to save the Doctor again? Oh… that must be it... I’m going to die again, aren’t I?” she whispered morosely to the walls.

She felt the familiar hum of the TARDIS, sounding almost like a hum of the word spoilers. River chuckled softly and reached out to stroke the panels.

 

“Where are they now?” River asked through a pained moan.

The TARDIS showed River that the Paternoster Gang, Clara, and the Doctor all stood outside with the Great Intelligence and the Whisper Men, in what looked like a showdown.

“I’ve got to help them!” River said to the air. But the TARDIS told her to wait.

“You will know when they need you…” whispered a voice in her mind


	5. Looking for a word I can't express.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is a bit shorter than the rest. But no worries this is more of a filler chapter, the next one is longer and better, promise. I hope you're enjoying it! xoxo

The Dr. Simeon fellow walked in front of the Paternoster gang in a haunting fashion.

“The doors require a key. The key is a word. Word is the Doctor’s.” He said gruffly.

The Doctor strolled out from behind Simeon, with Clara by his side.

“Here I am, late to my own funeral. Glad you could make it Jenny.” He said throwing her a small smile.

“Open the door, Doctor. Speak and open you tomb.” Simeon said ominously.

The Doctor gave a stubborn shake of his head. “No.”

Simeon sneered at the Time Lord. “Because you know what’s in there?” he asked.

The Doctor crossed his arms. “I will not open those doors.” He said with finality.

Simeon narrowed his eyes. “The key is a word lost to time. A secret hidden in the deepest shadow, and known to you alone. The answer to a question.”

The Doctor stood his ground. “I will not open my tomb.” He said again.

“Doctor. What is your name?” Simeon growled.

With a look of disdain thrown Simeon’s way, the Doctor refused to open his mouth. Simeon turned towards the Whisper Men and gave a short nod.

“The Doctor’s friends. Stop their hearts!” he snapped.

Strax, the military Sontaran, stood straighter. “Madame, boys. Combat formations! They are unarmed.” He said almost giddily.

Jenny rolled her brown eyes and huffed. “So are we!”

Strax gave a great shake of his hands. “Do not divulge my military secrets.” He said with a groan.

The Whisper Men were cornering each individual, reaching into their bodies as if they were made of air enclosing their unnatural hands around the beating of their heart.

“Stop this! Leave them alone!” the Doctor gave a great cry.

“Your name, Doctor. Answer me!” Simeon said in a bored tone. A Whisper Man had Clara against one of the great columns that surrounded the area. “Doctor?” she whimpered.

 The Doctor and Simeon were having a great stare down.

“Doctor who?” Simeon growled.

“Please. Stop it!” The Doctor pleaded.

“Doctor who?!” Simeon screamed angrily.

That was when the Doctor was aware of Strax making a distressed noise. “Leave him alone, let him be.” He called to the Whisper Man.

“Don’t worry, sir. I think I’ve got him rattled.” Strax gasped out.

“Doctor who?!” Simeon thundered.

“Please…” the Doctor's desperate voice cracked.

 

“That’s it,” River thought, “this is the moment when he needs me.”

She spoke his name and with a great groan the door creaked open.

“The TARDIS can still hear me. Lucky thing. Since him indoors is being so useless.” River muttered under her breath.

 

 

“Why did you open the door, sir? I had them on the run!” Strax huffed as the Whispermen let go of his heart.

The Doctor looked shaken and shook his head. “I didn’t do it. I didn’t say my name.” he whispered.

 

“No. But I did.”

River walked out, head held high, curls looking wild and a dangerous smile painted on her lips. 


	6. A ghost of love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go, a longer chapter for you! Thanks to Time_Lordess for all the wonderful feedback and ideas! Hope you enjoy this, sweetie!

The group all gasped.

“Professor Song? You’re alive?” Vastra said with surprise.

River smiled and gave a careful shrug. “It would seem so, yeah?” she said with a hint of a smirk. S

he strode over to Dr. Simeon and her face pulled on a scowl. “I don’t appreciate my husband being threatened.” She said with a snap.

Simeon growled at her and pushed her aside, toppling her to the ground. The Doctor wasn’t paying attention to the exchange between his wife and Simeon.

“Is everyone all right? Is everyone okay? Clara! Clara! Clara, you okay?” he asked running to his pale faced companion.

“That was not nice.” She said with a soft groan.

The Doctor gave her a small chuckle. “No, no. I know. I’m sorry.” He said helping her to her feet.

 He turned and saw Jenny and Vastra, each with an arm around River’s middle, helping her off the ground. He paled and felt his hearts clench and scurried over to her side.

“River?! River what happened?” he said with worry in his voice.

She shook her head with a small grimace and pushed past him, entering the TARDIS tomb.

“Nothing…” her normally steady voice shaking as she entered the console room again.

“Dr. Simeon pushed her and entered the tomb.” Strax said with a serious nod.

The Doctor’s anger flushed through him, like a fire burning beneath his skin. He’d never seen River like this. For the most part she was strong and capable. Something was happening if Simeon had just been able to push her down without resistance. He grabbed Clara’s hand and entered his tomb, and saw River staring desolately at the shimmering light. The Doctor stood across from Simeon and took a deep breath.

“Now then. Dr. Simeon. Or Mr. G Intelligence, whatever I call you. Do you know what’s in there?” the Doctor asked with barely concealed hate.

Simeon gave a short nod. “For me, peace at last. For you, pain everlasting. Won’t you invite us in?” he said with a nasty grin.

 

Clara gave a small sound of wonder. “What’s that?” she whispered to the Doctor in curiosity.

He shrugged tiredly. “What were you expecting, a body? Bodies are boring. I’ve had loads of them. That’s not what my tomb is for.” He said in explanation.

Vastra moved forward to stand next to her old friend. “But what is the light?” she asked.

“It’s beautiful.” Jenny said in quiet awe.

“Should I destroy it?” Strax asked brusquely.

Vastra rolled her eyes at the Sontoran.

Clara pulled the Doctor out of his contemplations by pulling on the sleeve of his coat. “Doctor, explain. What is that?” she said demanding.

 “The track of my tears.” He said poetically.

River snorted delicately at which the Doctor shot her a small grin. “Drama queen…” she said, rolling her eyes.

He winked at her with a soft chuckle.

“Less poetry, Doctor. Just tell them.” Simeon sneered.

River nodded at the Doctor, and he straightened the lapels of his velvet coat.

“Time travel is damage. It’s like a tear in the fabric of reality. That is the scar tissue of my journey through the universe. My path through time and space. From Gallifrey to Trenzalore.” He said tiredly.

River reached out and squeezed his hand in gentle strength.

 

The Doctor began to sway a bit. “My own personal time tunnel. All the days, even the ones that I, uh, even the ones that I haven’t lived yet.” He said clutching at his chest and collapsing.

River stood over her husband’s body to shield him from attack while Clara bent down over the Doctor.

“Doctor! Doctor!” she cried out worriedly.

“No. No. Which is why I shouldn’t be here. The paradox is, is very bad. No. No, what are you doing? Somebody stop him.” He yelled out through pants of breathes.

 River was the closest to Simeon and she made a lunge at him but was stopped by the strong grip of the Whisper Men.

“The Doctor’s life is an open wound. And an open wound can be entered.” Simeon said as he got closer to the light.

River struggled hard to get to Simeon, but her life being rewritten beaten body was too weak to shake them off.

“No. It will destroy you.” The Doctor moaned, worried for the life of a lesser man even in his pain.

“Not at all. It will kill me. It will destroy you. I can rewrite your every living moment. I can turn every one of your victories into defeats. Poison every friendship. Deliver pain to your every breath.” Simeon answered haughtily.

“It will burn you up. Once you go through you can’t come back. You will be scattered along my time line like confetti.” The Doctor warned.

Simeon gave a shrug. “It matters not, Doctor. You thwarted me at every turn. Now, you will give me peace as I take my revenge on every second of your life. Goodbye. Goodbye, Doctor.” He hissed as he stepped into the Doctor’s time stream.

The Doctor began to convulse on the ground, shuddering and giving short shouts every so often.

“What’s wrong with him? What’s happening?” Clara asked in worry.

River tensed as she probed the Doctor’s mind. “He’s being rewritten. Simeon is attacking his entire time line. He’s dying all at once. The Dalek Asylum. Androzani.” River listed.

Clara’s tear streaked face shot up to look at the beautiful blonde woman that was the Doctor’s wife. “What did you say? Did you say the Dalek Asylum?” she asked softly.

River’s eyes were unfocused as she kept reading the pain in the Doctor’s head.

“Now he’s dying in London, with you.” Her soft voice said with a nod towards Vastra.

 

“It is done.” Her voice said ominously.

 

Vastra covered her face and gave a soft shudder. “Oh dear Goddess…” she said through a strained voice.

Jenny looked worriedly at her wife. “What’s wrong?” she asked with a comforting hand to Vastra’s back.

“The universe without the Doctor. There will be consequences.” She said sadly.

 Clara didn’t pay the green lizard woman any attention, solely focused on the man that she had taken quite a fancy too.

Here she sat across from his beautiful, intelligent and clearly alive wife, and all she could think about was that she was losing her Doctor.

River ran a hand over the Doctor’s grimacing face gently. “Please, my love. Stay with me.” She said brokenly.

 

“The Dalek Asylum. You said it was me that saved you. How? Victorian London, how? How could I have been in Victorian London?” Clara demanded of the still Time Lord.

“No. No. Please. Stop. My life, my whole life is burning.” He said with a quiet groan.

River hushed him gently, now cradling his head in her lap. “Hush now. I’m here. I’ll take the pain away.” River said as tears rolled down her attentive face.

The Doctor seemed to calm at the soothing tone of his wife.

 

Clara quickly understood what had to be done. “I have to go in there…” she said almost to herself.

“Please. Please. No.” the Doctor whispered to her.

River opened her shimmering green eyes and looked at the young woman in front of her.

“But this is what I’ve already done. You’ve already seen me do it. I’m the Impossible Girl. And this is why.” Clara said as she ran towards the light, standing before it.

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t.” River said with worry aimed for her husband’s new friend.

“If I step in there, what happens?” Clara asked the golden haired woman.

“The time winds will tear you into a million pieces. A million versions of you, living and dying all over time and space. Like echoes.” River said as tears threatened to spill for the young woman.

“But the echoes would save the Doctor, right?” Clara asked, no longer looking at the professor.

 River laid the Doctor’s head down on the ground gently and walked over to the young girl, placing a warm hand over the young and in love companion’s shoulder. “But they won’t be you. The real you will die. They’ll just be copies.” She pleaded softly.

Clara shook her head. “But they’ll be real enough to save him. It’s like my mum said, “The soufflé isn’t the soufflé. The soufflé is the recipe.” It’s the only way to save him, isn’t it? Isn’t this what you do for people you love?” Clara asked stubbornly.

River’s green eyes turned grey and hard. “If you think this is a way to prove your love for him, you’re wrong. He won’t thank you for dying for him. He won’t say goodbye. Haven’t I drilled that into your pretty little human head? He wouldn’t want you to die like this Clara. This isn’t showing him you love him.” She said with a soft growl.

 

“The stars are going out! And Jenny and Strax are dead. There must be something we can do.” Vastra interrupted.

 

Clara shook the professor’s hand off her shoulder, held her head high and gave a rueful smile towards the Doctor's flinching body.

“Well how about that? I’m soufflé girl after all.” She said walking closer to the light. 

“No. Please…” The Doctor whispered.

“If this works get out of here as fast as you can. And spare me a thought now and then…” Clara instructed the Time Lord.

“No. Clara!” he gasped out.

“In fact, you know what? Run. Run, you clever boy. And remember me.” She said as she began to step forward.

 

In that short second, River pulled her fist back and connected with a horrifying thud. The impossible girl fell to the ground unconscious.

And for the last time, River turned to face the unconscious form of her husband. “Goodbye, sweetie…” she whispered as she stepped into the light.


	7. The ghost and a switch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter seven for all of you to enjoy! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, I should be posting the last three chapters soon because I have everything written already, yay!

Clara groaned and opened her eyes and looked around the inside of the TARDIS. Vastra stood with the newly restored Jenny and Strax as they spoke quietly to one another.

“It was an unprovoked and violent attack, but that’s no excuse.” Strax’s rough voice said loudly.

Vastra placed a tender hand over Jenny’s, “We are all restored. That’s all that matters now.” Vastra said soothingly.

“We are not all restored.” The Doctor said flatly.

He stood in front of his time stream with a look of agony and determination across his face.

Clara stood up and walked over to the Doctor. “You can’t go in there. It’s your own time stream, for God’s sake.” Clara said quietly.

The Doctor merely shook his head at her. “I have to get her back.” He said with finality.

 

“Of course, but not like this…” Vastra said as she rushed to her old friend’s side.

"But how?” Jenny asked her wife. “Is she still alive? It killed Dr. Simeon.” Vastra pointed out, unhelping.

The Doctor glared into the lights. “River’s got one advantage over The Great Intelligence.” He said icily.

Vastra tilted her head, “Which is?” she asked quietly.

“Me.” The Doctor answered powerfully.

 

Clara gasped and grabbed his arm, attempting to pull him towards her. “Doctor, please listen to me. At least hear me!” she said desperately.

“Now, if I don’t come back- and I might not-,” he carried on, ignoring his disgruntled companion, “go to the TARDIS. The fast return protocol should be on. She’ll take you home then shut herself down. And Vastra, in the case that I don’t come back, make sure that Clara is the first one returned home safely.” He said with authority.

Clara was sobbing at this point, her breaths shuddering. “There has to be another way. Use the TARDIS, use something. Save her, yes. But for God’s sake be sensible!” Clara said, throwing her arm back to punch him in the arm.

He caught her wrist with his long fingers and she looked up at him desperately.

“Why are you even doing this? What if she was never really here and you’re chasing a ghost? Doctor, please. It’s time to let her go and tell her goodbye. Move on. It’s time to fall in love with someone else, please…” Clara pleaded quietly.

The Doctor looked at his companion in surprise. “Clara… Have you ever been in love? I mean, real proper love?” he asked her as he read her eyes.

She bit her lip and brought her hand up to stroke his fringe out of his eyes. “I think, maybe I am…” she answered quietly.

The Doctor moved his hand from her wrist and set them both on her shoulders and he shook his head. “No. No you aren’t. Because if you were, you wouldn’t have to think that maybe you are. It would be a strong, resounding yes. That’s what I feel for her. For River Song. My very last Pond.” He said, closing his eyes gently. 

 

“She’s the very last of her kind, you know? Just like me. She used to be able to regenerate. Until she gave me all her remaining lives that is. Think about that. That woman has saved my life, over and over again. And she’s never asked for anything in return. Never even asked me to… to tell her how much I loved her. Because, I suppose… she just knew. She always knew River Song did. And now, here we are again. Her sacrificing herself so that everyone else could live. Because… because maybe she didn’t know after all. That I love her, I mean. Maybe she always felt that she wasn’t worth it, and that she’d be the least missed. And that’s the furthest thing from the truth… I love her. And right now, I need to get her back.” The Doctor finished, swallowing hard.

He opened his eyes and saw the devastation clouding the young woman’s face.

“So why did you ask me to travel with you?” her voice was gravelly. “What married man asks a young, impressionable girl to travel with him, in his big old snog box? And if you really loved her all that much, why was it that you were so okay with flirting with me and sometimes pretending to be my husband in other times?” Clara asked angrily.

“Clara, you have to understand, you are a very wonderful woman. And very intelligent, and I guess pretty… but you do have a weird nose, mind. But I do not mean to flirt with you. My hearts have always belonged to her. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you fell in love with me...” The Doctor explained tenderly.

Clara pulled away from him and swallowed through a lump that had formed in her throat. “Okay… Okay, fine. Do what you have to do to save her.” She said with a nod towards the light.

The Doctor didn’t notice the hurt look that had entered Clara’s eyes. He nodded solemnly and clapped his hands together. With a nod to the Paternoster Gang and a quick salute he stepped forward into the light. It was his turn now. His turn to do the saving. His turn to save his wife.


	8. I don't know where I am.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really long chapter and I hope you love it! Only two chapters left until we end this! What do you guys think, should I do a Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor ones too? Just a thought...

River had always been there for her husband. Every which way she turned she was saving him. Over and over and over again. The first face walked to the TARDISs and she stopped him.

“Doctor! Wait!” she called out to him, with a small grin.

“What? What do you want?” he asked almost crossly.

River gave him a small smile. “You don’t want that one. Take this one instead. Navigation is a bit knackered, but the adventures will be so much more worth it.” She explained with her hands folded demurely in front of her. She gave him one more smile and turned, walking away from her husband’s first body.

She saw them all. Giving them advice, saving them from extreme peril, and on some occasions stepping in to sacrifice herself for him. She was very careful not to disrupt their (her’s and the Doctor’s) timelines.

 

The second Doctor was an idiot. He annoyed her to no end with that silly pipe.

 

The third was a bit more bearable.

 

The fourth Doctor she found completely and utterly adorable. Really, all that curly hair and the Doctor had the nerve to tease her about her own hair.

 

The fifth Doctor was a bit crotchety for her taste.

 

The sixth form was a great laugh. Honestly, was he blind? What was with that atrocious outfit?

 

The seventh though, she absolutely hated. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Clever and cruel was the only way she could describe him.

 

The eighth Doctor broke her hearts towards his end. She knew that this was the Doctor right before the Time War. The one that would have to make a decision. One that he wouldn’t remember… that Gallifrey falls no more.

 

The ninth form was yummy to look at, but dangerous to play with. She sent him to the young Rose Tyler. That was the only way she knew to save him. By letting the pretty and young blonde show him kindness and love.

 

The tenth Doctor… Oh, she so loved that face. He looked absurdly handsome and young. Quick and clever he was. It still hurt to look at him.

 

And then it was him. Her Doctor. The face she married. The eleventh Doctor.

“Oh sweetie…” she whispered brokenly.

She covered her face and wept for him. For the life that she had given up hope on.

“Sweetie… Sweetie, I’m so sorry… Please…” she said, falling to her knees.

“River?” she heard his voice call to her.

She stood up from her kneeled position and she whirled around, unable to speak.

“River. You can hear me. I know you can.” He prompted gently.

“Yes, of course I can. But I can’t see you.” She pointed out softly. He chuckled softly.

“I’m everywhere. You’re inside my time stream. Everything around you is me.” He explained.

“Ooh kinky…” River muttered to herself.

“Oi! Shut up! This is not the time for that!” the Doctor muttered.

River gave a small delighted laugh. “I can see you. All your different faces are here.”

She said as they strolled around her, through her.As if she were nothing more than a figment… a ghost.

“Those are my ghosts, my past. Every good day, every bad day… I’ve told you all my stories.” He said softly.

“And you, River Song. You are my wife. I’m sending something. Not from my past but yours. Look up. Look.” He said gently to her.

She looked up and reached out, holding on to the prayer leaf with her name embroidered on it in the lost language of the Gamma Forest.

 

“This is you, Melody. Everything you ever were and will be. Take it. You came into this universe with human parents and the vortex burning in your mind. Hold tight. It will bring you home to me.” He whispered from behind her.

 

* * *

 

 

She turned and faced him now, felling the time stream faltering and shuddering.

“This is all wrong. Do you even know what’s happening?” she reprimanded him.

“I’m inside my own time stream. It’s collapsing in on itself.” He said with a shrug.

“Well get out!” she snapped at him, turning away to try to stabilize the stream.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her flush against his body. “Not until I’ve got you.”

He whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. “You never said goodbye. I thought… I thought I wasn’t important…” she trailed off in a defeated tone.

 

He took a deep breath, relishing in the smell that was River Song. “You were always there for me. And I always listened. And I could always see you.” He assured her.

He felt her stiffen at that. “Then why didn’t you speak to me?” she asked tightly.

“Because I thought it would hurt too much.” He said through brokenly.

“I believe I could have coped…” she softened in his arms.

She felt him shake his head. “No. I thought it would hurt me. And I was right…” He said pulling her face to his.

 

 

He kissed her. Pouring everything he could into it. All the times he wanted to apologize. All the times he should have said goodbye. All the times he should have said ‘I love you’. Everything.

 

 

He pulled away and rested his forehead against her’s, “You are now an echo, River. Like Clara, like all of this. In the end, my fault, I know. But you should have faded from me a long time ago…” he said in a soft voice.

She stared up at him, full of adoration and love. “Well, it’s hard to leave when you haven’t said goodbye.” She teased him gently.

He laughed softly and shook his head. “I wouldn’t know how to have said it… Tell me. How should I have done it?” he asked her as he stroked her cheek with his fingertips.

“There was only one way I would have accepted, you know? If you ever loved me, I wanted you to say it like you were going to come back.” Her voice hitched.

He stared down at his impossible wife. The woman who killed him. The woman who married him. "If he ever really loved her..." Did she really think he didn't love her? It's was time to prove it to her. He straightened his posture and pulled away slightly and she closed her eyes waiting for him to say goodbye.

“Well then. I guess it’s finally time to say it, eh? I love you, Melody Pond. River Song. And I’m going to save you. You and me. Time and space. You watch us run.” He whispered kissing her forehead.

River gasped, covering her mouth. “I… I love you too. Oh you mad, impossible man, I love you.” She said as happy tears rolled down her face.

He laughed as he swung her around. “Now come on. It’s time to go!” he said with glee.

“How?” she asked as she looked around.

He shrugged. “It’s impossible. But you’re good at impossible. You’re my impossible Melody Pond. How many times have you saved me, River? Just this once, just for the hell of it, let me save you. I know you trust me, dear, because I’m real. Just one step closer to being together for as long as we both live." The Doctor danced with her around his timestream for a moment. River! My lovely River! Oh!” he said as the happiness slowly wore off.

She frowned and turned, spying the new arrival.

 

* * *

 

 

She stepped closer to her husband and she watched him shudder lightly. “It’s him… Isn’t it?” she asked softly.

“Never mind. Let’s get back.” He said with gruffness in his voice.

“Answer me first. Is that him?” River asked quietly.

He gave a dark nod, “He’s me. There’s only me here, that’s the point. Now let’s get back.” He tugged at River’s wrist.

“Don’t. Don’t be so hard on him. On you. You don’t know yet…” River murmured to him.

He pulled his arm away and looked at her, curiosity winning over. “Know what, yet?!” he asked in surprise. 

River flashed him a smirk. “Spoilers…” she purred.

He spluttered and flailed a bit. “What?! No! River we can’t have spoilers! We’re completely linear now!” He whined.

She laughed and patted his cheek. “Just this last one. Just one more, I promise.” She grinned.

 

All of a sudden her grin faltered. “Why didn’t I ever see that one? I saw all of you. Eleven faces. All of them you.” She asked confused.

He swallowed tightly and sighed, “I said he was me. I never said he was the Doctor.” She tilted her head and studied the old man who was becoming clearer as the time passed.

“I don’t understand…” she trailed off again.

“My name, my real name, that is not the point. The name I chose is the Doctor. Just like you chose River Song. I told you this when you were at Luna.” He said softly.

She closed her eyes and remembered. “The name you choose, it’s like, it’s like a promise you make.” She said softly.

He nodded and gripped her hand as she swayed slightly. “He’s the one who broke the promise. He is my secret.” The Doctor said morsely.

 

The older man looked up at the Doctor with his head held high. “What I did, I did without choice.” He reminded the Doctor.

“I know.” The Doctor spat out.

“In the name of peace and sanity.” The older man continued.

This time River stepped forward and caressed the old man’s cheek gently. “But not in the name of the Doctor…” she whispered sadly and she stepped back and fainted.

“River? River!” the Doctor called urgently to his wife. He scooped her up and tossed the old man a final look of disdain, turning on his heel towards the fading light. “Stay with me. Come on. You and me, remember?” he whispered brokenly. He ran towards the fading light, as fast as he could with River’s weight in his arms. “Come on River. It’s you and me…” He said as he stepped back through into the console room of desolation.


	9. A time to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys, this is the second to last chapter. It's kind of short, but it was kind of just a filler chapter. I promise to upload the last chapter tomorrow!

Clara rushed over to the Doctor’s huddled form as he stroked River’s hair away from her face, murmuring in some language that Clara didn’t understand.

“Doctor? Is she okay?” Jenny asked from behind them.

He nodded quietly. “I think the time winds were too much for her. But I think she’ll be okay.” He said softly.

Strax lumbered over to them, “Sir, shall I complete a full body scan for the boy?” he asked the man.

Vastra rolled her eyes, “She’s a woman, Strax.” She reminded him.

The Doctor’s mouth quirked up into a small smile at that. “Yes, she’s very much a woman… And if you could, Strax, that would be lovely. Thanks.” He said moving to River’s other side.

Strax nodded and completed the scan. “Sir, I do believe that she is currently being… rewritten. Just like you were when you collapsed. Her pain levels are incredibly high, and yet she isn’t showing any form of pain.” Strax read in an impressed voice.

The Doctor gasped and leaned over River worriedly.

Vastra and Jenny shared a look and they both nodded. “Perhaps we should move her somewhere more comfortable? Such as the TARDIS?” Vastra suggested.

The Doctor nodded quietly in answer.

 

“Um… I can’t walk…” Clara said sheepishly.

The Doctor looked up at her in surprise, “What? Why not?”

She shrugged and looked away. “I may have twisted my ankle in the catacombs… Did I mention I hate catacombs?” she asked softly.

He frowned and had Strax scan it. “Fractured, sir.” The Sontoran told him.

He nodded, “Right then, it looks to me that both River and Clara will have to be carried back. Strax do you think you could help me?” he asked the potato like man.

Strax nodded and strode over to River, bending to pick her up. “Err… actually Strax, would you mind taking Clara? I’d like to carry my wife, please.” The Doctor explained.

Clara gave a huff and crossed her arms.

“Come on, boy.” Strax said, scooping the petite brunette off the ground.

She let out an undignified yelp and then settled into his arms in annoyance.

 

The Paternoster Gang, Clara, the Time Lord and his wife all made their way back to the warm inviting TARDIS.

Vastra, Jenny and Strax were quickly dropped off in London and Clara settled into her room for a goodnights rest.

She prayed that it had all been a dream, and that when she woke up it would just be them again. Her, the Doctor and his stupid cow of a spaceship. No wives and definitely no alive ones at that. The Doctor had long disappeared to what she assumed was his bedroom. She’d looked for it several times, but could never find it. She assumed it was the TARDIS hiding it away.

In the beginning when she actually started spending the nights with him, she assumed it was because he’d never brought a girl home. The TARDIS gleefully proved that wrong. But she never showed her a picture of River. Maybe it was because the TARDIS wanted to keep her for herself. River and the TARDIS did seem to have a different relationship than the Doctor and the TARDIS. She shrugged and off to sleep she went.

 

Down a different hall, where you take a left and then a right, past the helter skelter that had moved when he changed console tops, and to the right again was the Doctor and River’s room. Originally, it had just been his but when the mad, impossible archeologist of time had entered his life he quickly realized that he’d be sharing a lot more. Like his TARDIS, his bedroom, his bed… his showers… Not that he minded of course. River made him want to share everything with her. And for good reason too, she was his wife after all.

He laid her down on their bed and pulled off her sweater and shoes, leaving her in her satin dress.

He frowned as he realized that she was probably still not comfortable and so he unzipped her dress and left her in some delightfully lacy underthings.

He himself undressed and settled under the covers, where he wrapped his arms around his wife and dropped off into a much needed sleep.

Once again, the TARDIS felt warm and inviting.

Her thief and child were curled around each other again.

They weren’t running or being chased anymore.

They were sleeping. Granted, the stray was still on board but if her Water stayed with them, she was sure she could learn to tolerate her.

As she placed them in the vortex, she gave a happy sigh and hummed around the exhausted bodies, lulling them deeper into sleep.

 

And only River’s sleep was painful.

She felt like she was burning.

Her whole life was burning.

Sometimes, she burned so bright that she couldn’t remember who she was.

And then it would come to her again.

And she would sigh in her head.

Being rewritten was an awful experience that she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy… Well maybe…

Every time she thought she was in the clear, the darkness would bring her down again making it difficult to breath.

And just as quick as it happened, it ended.

Leaving her numb and exhausted, she finally settled into a fit-less sleep.


	10. A time to live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who stuck around until the end! I really hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this. I may finish it off with Day of the Doctor and Time of the Doctor. Alright my friends, read away!

River woke with a start and a groan. Her head pounded and it felt like that one time she had let Jack convince her to take one too many shots of hypervodka.

She opened her eyes carefully and realized that she wasn’t in her room.

Was CAL playing a trick on her?

If so this was a very, very cruel trick.

River looked at the all too familiar bedroom and began to hyperventilate as she realized that she was in her’s and the Doctor’s bed. Her breathing was coming out shallow and she began to shake, waking the Doctor.

“Hey… River? Are you alright, love?” he asked as he brushed her hair off her shoulders.

She stiffened at his touch and shuddered delicately. “This isn’t real. This isn’t real. I need to wake up. This isn’t good for me. I need to wake up.” She mumbled as she rocked back and forth.

The Doctor stared at her in mild surprise and quickly turned her to face him.

“River, I’m real. We’re alive, see? You’re awake and I’m here with you… Shh it’s alright, dear. I’ve got you.” He assured her as he wrapped his arms around her shaking form.

“How…?” she asked in a small voice.

He gave a small shrug and then a smile. “I think the universe may be trying to thank us for saving it all the time.” He teased gently.

She gave a watery laugh and she looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. “About time, don’t you think?” she asked softly.

He stared at her a moment and leaned towards her. “Yes…” he whispered against her lips.

 

He pushed her carefully into the bed and kissed her along her jaw, stroking his fingers over the velvet soft skin of her ribs.

She arched into him delicately and pulled his face back to her’s and kissed him with a passion of many years of loneliness.

“Mine…” he whispered to her mind in Gallifreyan.

She nodded gently, “Yours. Always.” She promised him in his mind.

He grinned and pulled away, dropping a sweet peck on her full lips. “We should get some tea. Stabilize those neurons in that amazing mind of yours.” He said.

She gave a small chuckle and agreed.

He pulled on his shirt and trousers, leaving the braces hanging around his waist and he grabbed her hand almost pulling her out of the bedroom. “

Wait, stop!” She said with a laugh.

He furrowed his brow in confusion.

“I need to put some clothes on.” She reminded him, waving at her almost nude form.

The Doctor looked her over in appreciation and shrugged. “You look fine to me.” He said, eyes dark.

“You may like it, but I don’t think Clara would approve of me traipsing around in my bra and knickers… How long has it been for you?” she asked, tilting her mane of curls.

His eyes dimmed a bit and he swallowed thickly. “Two hundred years…” he answered quietly.

She gave him a sad smile and patted his cheek. “Same for me.” She pulled back into the room and went to the find clothes.

“Go find Clara, I’ll be down in a mo’.” She called from inside their wardrobe.

The Doctor smiled and went down to find Clara.

 

* * *

 

 

Clara was sitting in the jump-seat, staring up in annoyance at the console. Clearly no love was lost there. She kicked her legs, and tilted her head back in boredom. She saw the Doctor at the top of the stairs and he gave her a delighted smile. Her heart did a small flip at the sight of how unkempt he was, and she returned the smile.

“How are you feeling today?” he asked as he bounced over to Clara’s side.

“Better… I had the strangest dream… But there’s something I want to try.” She said haltingly.

The Doctor didn’t understand until Clara threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. He pulled away as soon as his brain processed what was happening and he looked at her in surprise. “Um… Err… Clara… No... we can’t… you and I… we can’t…” he flustered about.

“Can’t what, Doctor?” she purred, running her hands down his chest.

“Can’t kiss you. Or do anything else for that matter.” The honey sweet voice of River Song said.

Both the Doctor and his naïve companion whipped their heads to look at the half dressed woman on the stairs.

 

She wore nothing but one of the Doctor’s shirts, as the TARDIS had all but demanded River to go to the console room. She hadn't had time to dress and grabbed the nearest thing to her, which was the Doctor's shirt. The Doctor's eyes gleamed happily and Clara sneered at the older woman, thinking that perhaps she was a bit of a whore for only wearing that.

 

River stood in the center of the staircase, looking like a lioness with her mass of curls. She stalked gracefully down the stairs, between the Doctor and Clara, and stroked the console top.

“You’ve redecorated.” She pointed out. She hadn't noticed when they were going to Trenzalore, too busy feeling the effects of time being rewritten.

The Doctor could only nod, too afraid to speak.

“I like it. Especially the Gallifreyan…” she continued, nodding to the turning parts at the top.

The Doctor cleared his throat and reached for her hand.

“River we were just…” River placed her hand over the Doctor's mouth shaking her head.

“I wouldn’t say anything, least you make me angry.” She said calmly.

He nodded and stepped away from her.

“I thought you were actually…” Clara started.

“Dead?” River finished, with a flippant quirk of her eyebrow.

“Did that once, ever so dull.” She said as she moved about the console.

Clara could only gape at her. River leveled a look at her husband who read in his wife’s eyes that she needed a moment alone with the companion.

“I’ll uh… go make tea.” He said turning on the heel of his boot.

 

River continued pressing buttons until Clara dared a glance at her. “You can ask, you know?” River’s voice was velvet covered steel.

Clara crossed her arms defiantly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said with a sniff.

River turned and gave her a cool look. “Fine. Then let’s get a few things straight, shall we? I am River Song. Melody Pond. And I am the woman who killed and married the Doctor. I died in the Library and was given a second chance at life last night, and I am going to spend my next linear years with the Doctor. Now we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way. The easy way is simple. You can get those silly little notions of grandeur of where the Doctor will realize that he was really in love with _you_ the whole time and leave me, out of your head. Because while the Doctor is many things, unfaithful isn’t on the list.” River said in a flat tone.

Clara gasped and balled her hands into fist. “And if I don’t?” she asked angrily.

River gave her a dangerous smile. “Then I’ll kill you. It would be easy. I wouldn’t like it, because believe it or not, I think we could get along famously. And I really don’t want to make life difficult for my husband. He needs his girls to get along. And since you and the TARDIS already hate one another, maybe it would be smart for you and me to get along.” River said pointedly.

Clara scoffed. “As if I’d ever be friends with you. We were doing perfectly fine until you showed up. Had we had another year without you, he and I would probably be dating.” She said with a toss of her hair.

 

“You’re wrong, you know?” a voice said. A very not River voice. A very Doctor like voice.

 

She gasped and turned towards him. “What?” she said disbelieving.

River gave him a small nod and she wound her way up the stairs towards the kitchen.

The Doctor now stood before Clara now and he looked down at her. “I couldn't date you, Clara. You’re a human. You’re whole life span is a blink of an eye to me. You would be dead long before I got the chance to actually reciprocate the feelings you desired. I could never date a human because they're so fragile.” He explained calmly.

She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off.

“And honestly, after River, I don’t think I could ever love again. She was literally made for me. My bespoke psychopath…” he said with a fond smile.

Clara glared down at the floor. “So what about me? What did you feel for me then?” she questioned.

“I uh, thought of you as a friend… maybe even a little sister. Someone to show the universe to.” The Doctor said scratching his cheek and blushing.

Clara now turned her glare at him. “Your. Little. Sister. Your little BLOODY sister. Oh I could kill you.” Clara snapped, balling her hands into fists.

The Doctor sighed tiredly. “I’m sorry Clara. This has all become a mess, I know. But give it time, it will all get better. I promise.” He assured her.

Clara wiped at her face and gave a hard sigh. “I want to go back home,” she started and the Doctor nodded quickly, “for good.” She finished icily.

He looked at her as if she’d shocked him. “W-what? Why?” he asked sadly.

“Because I told you before, I am not a ghost. If I'm going to travel with you it will be as me. Also, I will not just be your third wheel. Either it’s just you and me, or I’m not traveling with you anymore.” She explained.

“Clara… please don’t do this. River Song is my wife. You can't ask me to tell her to leave. I couldn't. I've spent thousands of years looking for a way to get her back and linear with me. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable but I want you both here with me. Always. Imagine all the adventures we can have, the three of us. Please…” he said looking down at the floor.

He looked as if she’d just kicked his puppy and she sighed. “Fine. I’ll travel with you, but I’m going to need some time from you. Give me three weeks. Come and get me after that. Understood?” she demanded.

He nodded happily and pressed a button. “Here we are, the Maitland’s residence.” He smiled.

She sighed and gave a weary nod, walking to the doors. “See ya around, chin boy.” She called over her shoulder.

“Bye Clara!” he said as the doors closed and he sent them back into the vortex.

 

* * *

 

 

He sat at the jump-seat and rested his elbows against the console, feeling uncommonly drained.

“Everything alright?” River’s silky voice asked as she wrapped her arms around him from behind.

He gave a small grin and pulled her into his lap. “Oh yes… Now, my bad, bad girl, where would you like to go?” he asked as he stared into her sparkling green eyes.

She gave him a cheeky smile as she wriggled around in his lap in an attempt to get comfortable. “Well… You see, two hundred years without my husband have been awfully lonely… And I could certainly use a… hand in other areas… such as the bed…” she whispered against his ear.

The Doctor gave a small moan and then a nod. “Right then, to bed with you Mrs. Robinson.” He said pulling her towards their bedroom… and the rest of their lives.


End file.
